


Thicker Than Water

by Nova_Moshi



Category: Cookie Run (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Eventual happiness I promise you guys, Fluff, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, I just love the chess twins so much they deserve better ya know?, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Violence, Oh look its found family what a shock, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sibling Bonding, So I will make it better, The one time Roguefort is helpful, The twins use she/they pronouns!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 19:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30127935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nova_Moshi/pseuds/Nova_Moshi
Summary: Closer together, a bond between two hurt souls that could never be broken.Chess Choco never had much, but they had each other- they thought that was all that mattered. Even through all the pain and sleepless nights, they still could comfort one another.But then a mysterious savior comes to rescue them from their former home, and they're thrust into a bright new world, maybe one they could even feel welcomed in. Yet their new surroundings will take some time to get used to, along with whatever strange voice is calling from those mirrors...
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Thicker Than Water

**Author's Note:**

> I love the chess twins so so much, I had to eventually make a fic for them right? Though, knowing me it just had to have some angst haha-  
> I liked the ending of The Dangerous Game well enough- but I wanted to give the twins some more backstory (and a revised overall story...) so this fic was born! I do hope you readers will stick with me through this journey! ^^
> 
> (Pronouns are all canon with some headcanons mixed in, mainly the twins being she/they)

It was another cold and lightless night, just as Chess Choco had always remembered them.

The twins were sitting on opposite sides of their beaten-up chessboard, trying to play as best they could with so many pieces missing. Over the years more and more had disappeared as they misplaced them in the dark. The light never reached them, down in the basement of their home, so they couldn’t quite see…

Pawn White sighed as she moved her rook, mimicking taking one of her sister’s pieces. 

The other twin shook their head, “You win, White.”

A frustrated look crossed White’s features.“If we had more pieces...you could have won.”

“I don’t mind, I won last time.”

“Barely!" The comment seemed to reignite a spark in them. "I nearly had you yesterday!” 

Pawn Black smiled, she knew just what to say to fire up her sister’s spirit.

“ _Of course_ , and I have wings like the birds.”

Their banter continued on until Black’s stomach growled, _loudly_. She grimaced, and White flinched in sympathy.

“Mother should be here to feed us soon...I’ll let you have most of it today.” The paler girl tried her best to chuckle, but it came out dry and choked. They hadn’t had water for a few hours now…

Black groaned, taking her time to stand on shaky legs. She had given most of her portion of food to White for the past few weeks- her sister had gotten sick from the cold air that permeated and howled in the basement. She became hungrier, and far more tired than they usually were. Black sacrificed the bigger helpings to help her stay strong, but in that period, she herself had grown weak.

It was an endless cycle; dividing the food up so one of them could have more than the other. Their mother never prepared enough for them both.

The twins took each other’s hands and walked towards the big wooden door that led to the rest of the house. Never once had they been past it long enough to see what wonders and secrets the old place held. Their mother never allowed them enough time to see anything.

They waited, and waited; listening to any sign of movement or noise upstairs. It was easy enough to tell where their mother was at any given time- she was _very loud_.

For a few minutes, the silence stretched through the house, not a sound was heard but the slight whistling of the wind. The twins were getting antsy, and extremely famished. Black tightened her grip on her sister’s hand, the actions reciprocated mere seconds later. Their fears were as loud as they were silent. Did their mother forget to feed them?

Then they heard it, the slamming of a door further inside. Chess Choco stumbled back from the suddenness of it, then righted themselves in preparation. They held their breath, hearing the thumping footsteps grow larger with each second.

_Thomp! Thomp! Th-thomp!_

The twisting of a doorknob happened, and then their entire world was bathed in light. The twins screwed their eyes shut, facing away from the bright blast.

“Hmph, took you two long enough to learn to be ready.” A rough voice grated in their ears. 

Their mother- Opaque Champagne- frowned down at them. In her hands was a plate of something goopy and unrecognizable, a sight the twins had grown used to seeing these days.

She wore her fizzy, nearly white hair back in a headband, and her apron was stained in various degrees of the color blue. The creases around her eyes betrayed her age, no matter how hard she tried to look younger.

More than once White asked Black where any of her features came from. Their mother was more pale than dark-skinned and didn’t seem to have any chocolate to her at all.

It was a common mystery between Chess Choco, though they never dared to ask their mother upfront.

“We remembered Mother. We remembered this time, Mother.” 

The older woman’s face twisted in annoyance, and for a second the girls feared they’d done something wrong, but their mother simply scoffed and threw down the strange plate of goop.

It was even more unappetizing up close.

The girls scrunched up their noses, it smelled foul. 

“I tried out something new tonight,” Opaque Champagne wiped her hand on her apron. “I want you two to eat every bite of it.”

Under normal circumstances, the girls gladly would have done so. But the ‘food’ in front of them looked like it would dissolve their dough if they touched it.

Pawn White sniffled, taking the high ground and deciding to try and eat whatever it was. She kneeled before the plate and poked a finger in the goop. When it jiggled and stuck to her hand, she had to fight the urge to gag.

She spared a glance back at her sister. Pawn Black was looking straight at her with wide eyes, nearly perfect circles reflecting the luminescent light from beyond. 

White turned back to their mother, who was glaring at them impatiently.

Hesitantly, she raised the goop to her lips and licked some off her finger. 

A striking, stinging sourness exploded inside her mouth, and this time no amount of politeness could stop her from gagging. White shook her head madly, a torrent of ‘nuh-uh!’s spilling from her throat.

The hiss that sliced through the darkness of the basement was all the warning the little cookie ever got. Her mother’s hand met her face a second later, and she tumbled back into Black’s terrified shriek. 

The beginning of a wail bubbled inside White, but she was muffled as Black enveloped her in a sort of shield, her sister’s wide eyes even more impossibly large staring up at their mother.

Opaque Champagne once again wiped off her hand, acting as if she’d touched something foul. “You ungrateful little wretches! You two are lucky I decide to feed you at all!”

Black trembled over her crying sister, “We-we’re sorry-”

“Shut up!” 

Mouth snapping shut, Black looked to the floor, nearly on the verge of tears herself.

“You’re both as scrawny as worms and as ugly as them too!” The woman growled, “I took the time out of my night to feed you and this is how you repay me? Think again.”

She backed up the stairs, her steel gaze raking over the crumpled girls on the floor. “If even a speck of that food is still on the plate when I come back you two leeches won’t be fed for a _week_.”

The door slammed, and Pawn Black flinched from the impact and harsh words. She leaned down towards her sister, who had a stinging red mark engraved on her cheek. It was beginning to swell and was radiating heat that could be felt even from this distance. 

Black gently touched the impact, hearing her sister whimper as pain shot through her face.

“Shh...don’t cry White…” She moved her hand and rubbed her sister’s head. “Mother doesn't like it if she can hear you..”

The loud sob that broke from White just then led to an outbreak of sniffles and hiccups. With the dam broken, she turned and cried freely into her sister’s side, which thankfully muffled the noise.

Pawn Black sighed a shuddering breath, trying herself not to let the tears fall. She had to be strong for White, she couldn’t break down now, or neither of them would get up.

She hugged her sister as close as she could and continued rubbing through her hair, whispering reassurances and love between her own labored breaths.

It was going to be a long night.

□□□

It was later that night when the wind decided to sing its chilling song once again. 

After eating the sour goop (reluctantly) and being given water (thankfully) the girls shuffled through the ever pulsing darkness towards their bed- if it could even be called that. It was simply a mattress with a single blanket thrown over it.

White was sluggish, sniffles still interrupting her breathing every now and then. She had her sore cheek pressed up against the freezing cold concrete of the walls to stop the swelling. Even though it was a rough texture, it was the best the girls could manage.

With their thin, ragged blanket thrown tightly around them, the twins cuddled up for warmth and attempted to fall asleep.

It was never easy, with the jelly monsters hiding in every corner and their constant groaning bellies, but tonight they were especially tired. Crying away their feelings really took it out of the little girls. 

The wind howled its song, filling every corner of the room and stealing away all the precious warmth they had. It slid under the holes and tears in their blanket, tickling their faces before laughing and flying away. It was a sad sort of melody, one that had been turned into an eerie lullaby for the two of them.

It had been a few hours since they dozed off. Other sounds of the night were sneaking in through the defenses of the walls. The croaking of jelly frogs nearby, the hoots of a walnut owl…

_Creak._

Pawn White blinked awake, her drowsy eyes wide as she attempted to comprehend what she’d just heard.

_Cree…_

She snapped her eyes up just as Pawn Black began stirring.

Something was moving above them.

“Black.” She hissed, tugging none-to-kindly on her sibling's shirt. “Black get _up!_ ”

A mumbling whine was all the response she got. 

“Black I’m serious! Get up!”

“What?!” Her sister’s voice snapped from the other side of the mattress.

“Shh! Someone is moving in the house! Listen!”

The girls went silent, and sure enough, there was the _creaking_ and dull _thumping_ of a figure moving around upstairs. The steps were irregular, going from _right_ and _up_ to _back_ and _down_. It almost sounded like a dance, like someone was avoiding puddles in the rain.

Pawn Black had finally turned around, towards the direction of the door, and faced her sister. “That’s not our mother.”

And it was a fact White couldn’t dispute, no matter how confusing it was. It was easy to tell where their mother was at any point in time upstairs- she always had the heavy, irritable steps that showed she was never in a good mood. 

These steps were completely different, and different was frightening.

The twins moved under their blanket cover, eyes just barely peeking out to watch the wooden door, sturdy and strong as it had always been. That was the only way in and out of the basement. So if the creature upstairs checked this room…

Pawn White gulped, a plan forming in her little head.

“H-Hello?”

She knew this action would result in a kick and glare from her sister, but she ignored it entirely. Mostly because she was just as shocked that she had _actually_ just done that. She really had just called out loudly to the stranger upstairs.

The silence that stretched in between her call was nearly deafening. Both girls were holding their breath, expecting something large and grotesque to burst through the door and gobble them up.

When no such answer came, Pawn White called out again.

Her words echoed throughout the small basement, bouncing off the walls and meeting back at its source.

She could feel Black’s grip around her tighten. “What are you doing White?”

“I….I don’t know.”

The steps upstairs began again, much to the twins' fear and uncertainty. They wound around the corridors of the house, the steps growing closer to their direction. They became louder, and fainter, and louder as they picked up speed. Beyond the floors creaking, the girls also heard the faint _eereak_ of doors opening. They were searching for them now, no shadow of a doubt.

It was too late for White to second-guess herself, yet she subconsciously scooted closer to her sibling. She hoped this was a good idea. She _hoped_ the picture books were right; that any creature could be kind and help others out in need if they asked for it.

She hoped she hadn’t just doomed her and her sister.

The steps grew louder until they seemed to stop at their very door. They heard shuffling beyond it, faint and precise.

“We’re in h-here…” Was all White could get out, her fear squeezing her throat tight.

The bronze doorknob was tried, once, twice, three times. It stood silent and then was tried again.

This time, the creaking solidified the deal.

In the inky blackness of night, the door slowly opened to try and reveal the shape of the stranger in their house. The twins, still under their protective blanket, began to tremble. This was more real than just hearing footsteps behind the safety of the door.

In the silence, other than their shaky breathing, a soft voice was heard.

“I was right...I did hear a voice down here.”

The creature stepped down the stairs, and once on solid ground made a surprised sound.

“Dear jellies, are you here little one? Can you see me?”

Pawn White swallowed down the fear in her throat, “Y-Yes, we’re here...but we can’t see you.”

“We?” The voice stepped closer in their direction. “Is there another child?”

White glanced at Black, who was staring wide-eyed out at the stranger.

“Yes...my sister is with me.”

The creature closed the final gap, reaching out with a hand to feel around in front of them. When they found the blanket, White had to bite her tongue to resist the urge to squeal. 

“Here...are you two ok? How long have you been down here?” Their hand was removed, yet the girls heard the figure rustling around in something.

“Our...our whole lives. We live down here.”

“In the basement?”

“Bad children are- are to stay i-in the basement.” 

The figure didn’t say anything to that, instead continuing their rustling. They produced some object in their hand, and a soft _click_ was heard.

Then the girls nearly went blind.

Simultaneously the twins squealed and screwed their eyes shut, the bright beam of light irritating them.

An apology from the stranger, and then the light was snuffed out. Pawn White dared to look up again, but a very annoying dot was blocking her vision no matter where she looked. She squinted, whining at the stranger in front of them.

“I apologize little ones, I needed to get a good look at you.” Their already soft voice softened, and White could barely see their hand reaching back towards them. “You are both in frightening condition...would you like to come with me?”

An alarm rang off in the back of White’s mind, but she blinked to make sure she had heard them right.

“Come...with you?”

Pawn Black hugged her torso even tighter, and her scared breathing was heard in the pale girl’s ear.

“Yes...obviously whoever keeps you down here is not a very nice cookie. I can tell just from your eyes how scared you two must be...I can help you both. Take you away from this prison cell.”

Their hand, which White realized was gloved, was extended towards her, palm up.

She knew this gesture, she gave the same one to Black all the time, to get her to come with her when she wanted to sleep in.

In the strange, scariness of this encounter, it was something Pawn White was familiar with.

She reached out slowly and put her hand in the palm of the stranger’s, feeling its warmth as it closed around her own. She smiled; never had her mother been this gentle with her.

Pawn White sat up and slipped off the mattress, holding on tightly to the other’s hand in case she slipped and fell. She couldn’t see their face, not clearly anyway, but she could tell they were also smiling.

“White…”

Pawn Black was still in bed, under the covers, shaking like a leaf. Tears sprung up in her eyes as she looked between the two of them. “I-I…”

Guilt rose in the girl’s stomach, and she broke contact with the stranger to hug her sister. White pulled her up from the covers, tightening their hug as best she could. “It’s ok Black. They won’t hurt us. They said they’ll help.”

“B-But, what about m-mother? What will she t-think?” Black sniffled, futilely wiping her eyes.

“Mother won’t know! I bet she wouldn’t care anyway, she’ll be happy we’ve disappeared.”

The words were directed at her sister, but deep down White was also saying them to reassure herself.

“She always says we’re ‘little leeches’, well we can be gone leeches! Then she won’t be angry at us anymore!”

Black looked past her twin towards the other cookie, who hadn’t moved a muscle in the dark. “Are you sure..?”

“Trust me, I’m sure.” She rubbed her cheek against Black’s which elicited a tiny giggle from her. They both turned around to face the stranger and scooted off the old mattress together.

“We’re ready. We are ready..” The girls held their hands tightly, finding solace in each other.

The stranger smiled, even though they couldn’t see. Gently, they leaned down and scooped the girls up, one in each arm. It made them squeak in surprise, but they were quickly hushed- being told that leaving would require the utmost quiet.

With one last look at the dingy basement, the figure took off, and little by little the girl’s world expanded.

Once beyond the threshold of the door, they were sped through the house of which they had never stepped foot in. Walls and doors whizzed past them, too fast and blurry to make out any distinct objects or shapes. The twins held onto their savior tightly, more than a little afraid of falling off and hitting their heads.

They were turning a corner when a strange smell met all of them at once. And following the smell, a voice came from outside the house, growing louder with every second.

It was their mother.

The girls flew into a blind panic, clutching at the other cookie with fear. It surprised them enough that they stopped moving altogether, looking down at them in shock.

“T-that’s our mother!”

“She’s going to know we left!”

The stranger grunted, looking around the house as they heard the door being unlocked. In a split-second decision, they jumped up in the rafters, balancing precariously on a low beam. They held on tighter to the girls, glaring down at the door as it burst open.

A swaying, drunken, mumbling cookie came through the door, her hair tousled and her face scrunched up. She was babbling complete nonsense as she made her way through the house, bumping into furniture now and then.

Pawn Black nearly let out a frightened whimper, before a loud slamming echoed from the kitchen. The figure shushed her, giving the same signal to Pawn White.

Opaque Champagne walked out, eyes drooped in a daze. She walked down the dreary corridor towards the back of the house, back towards the basement-

A loud word the girls had never heard was cursed, _angrily_. 

Their mother kept flinging them out, her voice rising in pitch as she screamed their names. They heard furniture being thrown and shoved, and the door was flung back into the wall without mercy.

If it were not for the cookie holding them, Chess Choco would have surely started bawling from the anger in their mother’s voice. They buried their faces in the stranger’s warmth, muffling their cries and whimpers as their mother continued her outburst.

At the sound of a threat that would be _surely_ acted upon if they were seen, their savior scowled down at the commotion unfolding below them. They’d heard enough.

Quickly, they moved from their position and followed the trail of the way they came in; through a high window in one of the rooms to the west of the house. They made no sound as they seemed to glide across the floors, giving the angry cookie no indication that anyone other than herself was even there.

With a final leap, they soared through the window, advancing atop the roof of the tiny abode and running to the next. 

The girls had shut their eyes in fear of seeing their enraged mother, but now that they felt the rush of wind meeting their faces, opened their eyes to a wide, beautiful world.

A tiny gasp came from Pawn White, the sound soon stolen by the wind. She had never seen so many lights in her life!

All around them was a sprawling city, alive with lights and sounds and sights the twins had never seen before. Everything was rushing past them as the stranger ran across rooftops of black and gold, leaping from one high height to the next- it almost seemed like they were flying.

But for all the splendor, the wind was the most pressuring thing. It stung the girl’s eyes if they kept them open too long, not to mention it was _cold_. Without the warmth of their blanket, they only had the older cookie to keep warm. White hugged them tightly, though tried to keep her eyes open to absorb as many things as she could. Black, however, buried herself completely in whatever fabric they had.

It went on like that for a while, the rumbling and jumping all melting together into one coherent experience. White yawned loudly, resting her head on the side of their savior. She could feel their chest expanded and deflate with every breath they took, and it was an oddly comforting thing.

When they spoke to her next, she almost didn’t catch their voice.

“Mmmm..wha..?”

A chuckle from above, “I asked if you two were alright. You’ve both been very quiet.”

Had it only been minutes since she’d tried sleeping? White was losing track of time. Her tired mind was catching up to her, after all, it was in the middle of the night.

“I’mokk...jus tired..” She slurred, closing her eyes for just a moment…

“I can tell, your sibling seems to be asleep already.”

“She didn...didn’t wanna get up..”

The cookie said something else, but White was dozing off quickly, lured asleep by their voice.

The moon was advancing higher and higher in the beautiful night sky. Wispy clouds floated lazily above them, and soon the sound of voices reached the older cookie’s ears as they stopped by a crowded square near the clocktower.

With the kids tucked under their arms, they surveyed the scene before them. It was less of a crowd and more of a giant scattering of cookies and police officers. From their position, they could just make out the tone of an elder cookie, detailing an account of a cookie they’d seen sneaking about in the darkness.

“Well..it’s as good a time as any to get going…” They mused to themself, subconsciously rocking the two sleeping children with them. “But where will you two go…”

They pondered this for a few minutes, the voices growing louder below them. 

Then they had an inkling of an idea and advanced towards the south; where glowing lights flew and danced in the sky.

□□□

She was dreaming of a white landscape.

The hills were blank, a slate of pristine glistening whiteness. Snow covered the ground and obscured the sky above her. Above them. The sun was blotted out by the clouds as the snow fell in dizzying flurries.

They were huddled, closer than they’d ever been, under the branches of a slumping tree. They’d piled the snow up to create a sort of buffer, and crawled under as far as they could.

She was shivering, but the figure beside her was not.

From the outside came a howling wind, louder than she had ever heard any sound before. It was screaming, wailing at her, its icy claws materializing from the snow, reaching out to crush her-

“Wake up little one.”

She heard the voice, but she dared not move less the storm realize she was still alive.

“Black, Black wake up!”

Pawn Black whimpered, a prodding in her side becoming increasingly annoying.

“Shush, let her be. She’s fine.”

A groan came from the little girl as she blinked open her eyes. Darkness was around her, but she could see her sister on the other side.

Pawn White smiled and let out a huge breath, “Took you long enough!”

Those words stung, but she didn’t say anything in rebuttal. Instead, she turned her attention to her surroundings, staring in awe at what she saw.

In front of them was the biggest building Black had ever seen. It towered higher than the walls of the basement and seemed to go up higher and higher into the heavens forever. She craned her head all the way back, and still, she couldn’t see the top.

“Where are we..?” She asked, hesitantly.

The stranger, whom she had just now remembered was there, chuckled. “You’ll see little one. I stopped to let you two rouse from your slumber, so you could understand what’s going on.”

That did little to answer her question, but even White didn’t appear to know herself.

The older stepped forward towards a grand pair of doors, more ornate and sophisticated than the old, rickety one they’d been sealed behind forever. They raised their gloved hand and gave the most confusing series of knocks Black had ever heard. Did doors require different kinds of knocks to open?

Swifty the answer came then, as the doors were thrust open and a brilliant shot of light engulfed them all.

Black turned her head back into the stranger’s side, hearing loud confusing noises filter from beyond the threshold. It sounded like what her mother described as music, but it wasn’t as soft as the song she once sang to them.

“Brother? Whatever are you doing here at this hour?”

Upon looking back, Black laid her gaze upon a cookie dressed even more elegantly than their savor. He, however, wore a pair of round glasses that seemed to be slipping off his face. When his gaze locked onto hers she sharply looked away, seeing her sister doing much the same.

“Dropping off some precious cargo,” The older gestured to them, and suddenly Pawn Black felt very small.

The other scoffed, rolling his eyes. “First jewels and now children brother? When I see you again you better have a good explanation for this…”

“I promise to tell you everything later, for now though...can you take them in? I assure you, they can _not_ go back to where I found them.” The edge that sharpened their voice made the girls shrink back.

It was silent for a moment before the other gave a curt nod. They disappeared behind those pretty doors and left them to the pitch blackness of night. 

Then they were let down, and the softest surface Black had ever felt unfolded beneath her. At first, she squeaked in surprise, but then she bent over to touch what could only be grass. _Actual_ grass!

She saw her sister doing the same, saying she never imagined it to be so pokey.

Their savor chuckled above them, bending down to their level. “I’m glad your first experience outside was a pleasant one...I hope you two will have more good memories like this.”

They paused, something akin to a storm passing over their face. “Allow me to formally introduce myself to you girls, my name is Roguefort.”

“Roguefort...that’s a strange name.” Pawn White said, a giggle coming out of her.

“Well, I prefer my alias better, but that’s a tale for another time my dears.” Roguefort tipped their hat, smiling warmly.

Then they grew serious, and the sudden change in their aura made Pawn Black flinch. “But listen closely, I cannot stay any longer tonight. I am leaving you with Earl Grey- he’s my brother, and the sole person I can trust to take care of you two-”

“Y-you’re leaving us?” White interrupted him, and Black didn’t think she’d ever seen her sister so heartbroken.

That seemed to strike a chord in the other, and they quickly backpedaled on that statement. “No, well, just for right now. I need to leave, but I promise you I will come back tomorrow.”

Roguefort extended their hand, “Do you understand dear?”

Black hated seeing her sister like this. She could tell she was still sad, but there was nothing she could say to cheer her up. The source of her sadness was not something she could even remotely fix for her...Sugar Swan knows she would try.

Pawn White sniffled, turning her head slightly away to stare off into the distance. “I understand.” She quipped, her voice cracking.

Roguefort closed their empty hand, nodding at the two of them. “Good. Good...You both will be safe here, we are far away from your old home and- her.”

Just then the doors opened back up, and Earl Grey adjusted his giant glasses, “I’ve prepared them a room brother.”

Their savior stood, their cape fluttering behind them in the slight breeze. “Perfect. Please take good care of them, Earl, I shall return soon with the explanation I owe you.”

“You’d better.” His tone was stern, but he seemed very sincere to Black. She looked up between the two cookies, seeing the moon shine down upon them all.

“Goodbye girls,” Roguefort gave them one last chuckle, and then they were off. It happened much too fast for Black to see in the darkness, but she could tell they were gone by the shift of smells in the air.

“Come along now, we must hurry inside before you two catch a cold.” Earl’s voice surprised her, she hadn’t realized how long she’d been staring after Roguefort.

Once again Chess Choco was lifted up, except now they were heading _towards_ the bright lights and scary noises. Thankfully for them, Earl Grey didn’t seem intent on letting anyone stare at the girls for too long. He moved quickly, more quickly than Roguefort had, and deep down Black was thankful for it.

As they ascended a round of carpeted stairs, Black stole a glance at her sister. She looked exhausted, but more so than that, she looked hurt. It made something twist in her heart, but there wasn’t anything she could do.

Soon they arrived in a corridor so ridden with doors it appeared there would be no end to them. Earl walked with confidence past many of them, and it struck Black then that she would need to pay attention so she wouldn’t become lost in this maze.

Another door, less elegant than the first, was opened and a grand room unfurled before them. As far as bedrooms went, it was the biggest the girls had ever seen. A gigantic bed was settled atop carpets at the left, and a huge space with chairs and other such fixtures was spaced out to the right. There was a dark bookshelf stood against the back wall, and to the very right, a door was closed, its contents beyond hidden.

Earl Grey took them straight to the bed, pulling the covers back as he nestled the twins between them. Black immediately seized her sister in a hug, and it was a relief when White hugged her back.

“I hope the room is to you girls’ liking, I picked it out quickly to ensure you wouldn’t be outside in the cold for long.” Earl apologized, tucking the ends of the covers in to make sure Chess Choco was snuggly tucked in. “In the morning I shall issue a friend of mine to bathe you, and you’ll be given clean clothes and plenty of food to eat.”

It seemed he was about to say more, but at seeing both twins shudder he worried over them.

“We-” White started, looking between Black and the other cookie.

“We don’t deserve to eat…” Black finished, hiding her eyes as tears began to burn in them.

“What? Of course you deserve to eat.” Earl Grey’s tone turned stern again, and this time it wasn’t just Black who flinched away from him.

Whether he noticed the movement or not, he didn’t show. The older cookie shushed them both, smoothing out an extra blanket atop them. “You children shouldn’t worry about such things, there is plenty of food here to feed you both. I wouldn’t let you both starve.”

Once he was done, he bowed to the both of them and turned to leave. He took a moment to walk by the standing lamp in the room, reaching to grab the tassel and turn it out.

“W-Wait!”

Earl Grey turned to Black, who was now red in the face at her own outburst. She wrung her hands, not meeting eye contact with the other. “Please...please leave the light on. I-..we don’t want to be in the dark.”

Pawn Black feared she’d be ignored, or Earl would still turn the light out and tell her to deal with it. But surprisingly, he agreed to her request.

“Alright then.” He smiled back at them, “Goodnight, and have a pleasant sleep, girls. I shall see you in the morning.”

And just like that, he was gone, and their door closed with a soft _click_.

“He...he actually listened to me…” The girl couldn’t believe it, and turned to White to grab her hand. 

“Yea...he seems really nice. Maybe…” Pawn White settled back on the pillow, a weary sigh too big for one her age being released. “Maybe these cookies are as nice as the one we saw in our book…”

Pawn Black scoffed quietly, “They’re nice to us _now_. Mother was nice to us too...before she changed.” 

White smiled sadly at her sister, who had cuddled up next to her for comfort. “Well, yea but! I think these cookies will be different...they have no reason to be nice to us, and yet they are! That has to mean something right?”

A tired mumble was all the response she got. Pawn White nodded and left the conversation at that, looking upwards towards the ceiling and its intricate patterns.

“It has to mean something…” She yawned, hugging Black even closer to herself as she dozed off.

It was the first peaceful sleep the girls had in ages.


End file.
